Can spirituality really be taught?

[Green Knight]

The word spirituality encompasses many things. Some of these things, in my experience, most definately can be taught, but not taught in the usual sense of taught. One of these is the experience of an unconditional love for your fellow human beings, an experience of immense peace, bliss and a disappearance of the feeling of seperateness. Many people interpret this as deeply spiritual and it is possible to experience this by taking part in the Landmark Education series of three courses. But of course, the results achieved very much depend on whether you do your 'homework'.

However, what it won't give you is being able to feel awe for creation. Something which I consider very spiritual and something which I feel cannot be taught. Though, somebody I am sure will beg to differ.

The concept of spirituality being elusive is quite correct. When it is grasped for who is grasping? The answer of course is the mind and it is the mind which takes us away from any spiritual experience. A spiritual experience comes from beyond thought. We may of course interpret the experience with thought, but essentially the spiritual experience comes from outside of it.

With reference to Carlos Castaneda being an ego led conman. I think much the same was said of Gurdieff. P.D Ouspensky a long time student of his, came to realise he didn't fully embody the wonderful teachings and practices he espoused.

[willijr78]

why not? the mind of man yearns for it? this need however filled seems to dominate the world .. ie : as we are discussing here>>>

[Aquinas]

To be honest, this is a hard question for me because most of us use the term spirituality in many different ways. For me spirituality can be taught from the bible, because the bible teaches the truth and the truth is the word of God or Jesus. When you learn about Jesus then you would become spiritual because when you have truly learn about Jesus would enlighten you. The holy spirit does the teaching, it guides you and inteprets the bible for you so you can learn about the Jesus or God. When you are enlighten by the truth you become spirituality. If you wanted to learn about spirituality or the state of being spiritual you just did. It's the matter of getting into it or not.